Enrollment
506
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mobile, AL
Mary B Austin Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Mary B Austin Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010237000896
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary B Austin Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #13 of 34
- schools in Mobile · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 19.5:1
- large classes for Alabama
- 43.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary B Austin Elementary School has class sizes larger than 78% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary B Austin Elementary School ranks #13 of 34 schools in Mobile, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.5:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
43.2%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mary B Austin Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mary B Austin Elementary School
Mary B Austin Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Mobile, Alabama, enrolling 506 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 43.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 506 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 330 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #212.
Its student body is led by African American (44%) and White (38%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 506 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
17.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 24.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mobile's public schools, it stands alongside Er Dickson Elementary School (967 students): Mary B Austin Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.5:1 vs 19:1).
Mobile County also operates Baker High School (2,271 students) and Mary G Montgomery High School (1,888 students) alongside Mary B Austin Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Mary B Austin Elementary School compares
Mary B Austin Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.5:1 | ▲ 10% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 43.2% | ▼ 27% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 506 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.5:1
Leaner classes than 18% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
506
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
43.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
19.5:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 78% in Alabama - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
17.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,163
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 506 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 44.3%
White 37.7%
Two or More 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 7.7%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, Mary B Austin Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mobile County, which includes Mary B Austin Elementary School.
$12,163
Per student
-3%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.3%
State 49.5%
Federal 24.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Mary B Austin Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mary G Montgomery High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alma Bryant High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wp Davidson High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Bernice J Causey Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary B Austin Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,271
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,888
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,624
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,339
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar other schools in Mobile
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Er Dickson Elementary School
Standard public school
967 students 19:1 students per teacher
Lillie B Williamson High School
Standard public school
889 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Olive J Dodge Elementary School
Standard public school
862 students 18:1 students per teacher
Dr Robert W Gilliard Elementary
Standard public school
806 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Orourke Elementary School
Standard public school
799 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Elsie Collier Elementary School
Standard public school
731 students 17:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~506 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mary B Austin Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Mary B Austin Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Mobile County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Mary B Austin Elementary School
How many students attend Mary B Austin Elementary School?
Mary B Austin Elementary School has 506 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mobile, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary B Austin Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary B Austin Elementary School is 19.5:1, which is 10% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 24% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mary B Austin Elementary School?
43.2% of students at Mary B Austin Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary B Austin Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Mary B Austin Elementary School is African American at 44.3% of enrollment, in Mobile, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary B Austin Elementary School?
Mary B Austin Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Mary B Austin Elementary School rank among schools in Mobile?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary B Austin Elementary School ranks #13 of 34 schools in Mobile, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mobile on the city page.
Is Mary B Austin Elementary School a good school?
Mary B Austin Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Mobile County?
Besides Mary B Austin Elementary School, Mobile County also operates Baker High School (2,271 students), Mary G Montgomery High School (1,888 students), and Alma Bryant High School (1,624 students). See the Mobile County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.